


The Two Faces of Beryl

by TheQuiteExcellentBlog



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 23:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4764656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQuiteExcellentBlog/pseuds/TheQuiteExcellentBlog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pearl and Peridot fuse in order to combine their intelligence so they can disarm an explosive robonoid. But it seems this new fusion called Beryl doesn't want to unfuse so quickly and begins to challenge Garnet for leadership. A power struggle emerges and it seems one that Garnet cannot win easily but she must because Beryl has some warped ideas of how to run a resistance and Rose's legacy is a stake. </p><p>All characters belong to Rebbecca Sugar and Cartoon Network and the character of Beryl is an original creation of http://heartofstitches.tumblr.com/ go check out her stuff!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Oh dear” Pearl said looking at the restrained robonoid.

  
“Yep” said Garnet as she watched Amethyst punch away at it but have every one deflected by a powerful force field.

  
“Urgh! It’s no use! This thing can’t be destroyed! What’s it even doing here? Peridot is on our side!” Amethyst grumbled.

  
“The robonoids aren’t made exclusive by our Peridot. These are others from other technicians back on Homeworld. They must be trying to trying to shut down the Sky Barrier” Pearl thought aloud.

  
“I thought you and Peridot said the Sky Barrier was indestructible” Garnet said unimpressed.

  
“It is, it’s just it can be turned off…” Pearl said quietly.

  
“Hmm… just deactivate this thing so it doesn’t cause any trouble” Garnet said before striding off.

  
“Jeeze, what’s her problem?” Amethyst said snidely.

  
“She’s just stressed because Lapis has gone missing again. She doesn’t know if she can trust her or not” said Pearl.

  
“But she knows Lapis ran away because of her, right?”

  
“Yes… and because she found out we’re using Jasper’s gem to power the Sky Barrier”

  
“Yeah… I can see after being trapped in the mirror that she wouldn’t want to see another gem trapped the same”

  
“Yes. But say, good job tying down the robonoid, your whips are stronger than ever!”

  
“Thanks, P, I finally took your advice and take my time summoning them” Amethyst said blushing.

  
Pearl smiled back “Well, you better let me get on with this. It’s going to take a while”

  
“Ok, P, have fun!” said Amethyst before she walked off up the beach.

  
Pearl set to work. She summoned her tools from her gem and took a pastel coloured wand from them and set about waving it over the robonoid. It squeaked and clicked as it moved until it made one very load, sharp squeaking click. She’d found its access panel. She then took out a two pronged device that had electricity arching between the gaps and touched it to the casing of the robonoid but the device was blown out of her hand by an electrical burst. Pearl frowned and took out another device that spun at the end but no affect either. Soon half an hour had passed and she’d gone through every tool she had and none had opened up the panel. Pearl sighed and looked at the whips to check they were still holding. They were fine but repeated strain would make them break eventually.

  
“What are you doing with that robonoid, Pearl” Peridot said dismissively.

  
“Oh hello Peridot, nice seeing you here. It’s trying to get to the Sky Barrier’s central control in order to shut it down. We can’t destroy it until I deactivate the force field it has but I’m not having much luck” Pearl sighed.

  
“And you didn’t think to come to me for help?” Peridot said offended.

  
“I er… didn’t want to bother you is all. I figured you would be busy” Pearl laughed nervously.

  
“Busy? With what? Unless you call being constantly scared of what Yellow Diamond will do to me for defecting being busy, then yes, I am busy! Garnet doesn’t trust me with anything, I have nothing to do all day!”

  
“Well I guess as I’m here, you can help me… so you know these best, why isn’t it opening?”

  
“Stand aside, Pearl” said Peridot as she pushed Pearl to the side.

  
Peridot extended a finger and traced a square on the casing of the robonoid and then drew a line down the centre. The square fell into the casing then split into two and parted to reveal the access panel.

  
“Oh wow, it was that easy?” Pearl said disappointed in herself.

  
“It is if you have the right tool” said Peridot, spinning her fingers to demonstrate.

  
“Ok, can I have a look now?” said Pearl trying to see past to the access panel.

  
“Wait, give me a second. Hmm… this isn’t like anything I’ve seen. Homeworld must have upgraded there tech since I defected”

  
“You didn’t defect, Peridot, you joined the right side”

  
“Call it whatever you like, still means I’ll have my gem crushed if I’m ever captured”

  
Pearl grimaced at that remark and sat down with her legs tucked up to herself as Peridot mulled over the control panel.

  
“Do I have your permission to interact with the interface and programming of this robonoid?” Peridot asked firmly.

  
“Oh, sure, I’ll keep watch” Pearl said uncertain.

  
Peridot slashed a finger on the control panel and a holographic panel appeared. She placed her hand within it and her eyes became static. She had a look of determination on her face but it quickly turned to panic. She wrenched her hand from the panel and fell back in shock.

  
“What’s wrong, Peridot?” Pearl asked concerned.

  
“This… thing… its computer code is so complex… it’s purposefully complex so it’s almost impossible to decode. Every time I tried to hack it, the code changed and then tried to attack me, that’s why I pulled myself out” Peridot said panicked.

  
“But do we need to hack it to disarm it? Now we’re through to the access panel, couldn’t we just tear out its insides?” said Pearl as she stood by the panel ready to rip it off.

  
“No! Don’t! I saw into the code enough to see it’s got a bomb rigged to explode if interfere with the circuitry physically and knowing Homeworld, it’ll be powerful. Our only hope is to hack it”

  
“But you said you couldn’t handle it, and my mind is no better, what are we going to do?”

  
“We’d have an easier time ejecting it into space, but it would probably sense that and explode before it was far enough away”

  
“Wait… what if we fused?” Pearl said with an epiphany.

  
“What? How will fusion help?”

  
“We’re both technician gems, if we combine our intelligence through fusion, we can have enough brain power to solve this complex code”

  
“Er… I’ve never fused before?”

  
“Not once? Didn’t they teach you for emergencies?”

  
“Fusion isn’t as fashionable as it once was on Homeworld. Plus all was required of me was to build and maintain robonoids”

  
“I see. Well follow my lead and we should be able to fuse easily”

  
“Are you sure this is a good idea? What if our fusion is unstable?”

  
“Good point. We’ll make sure Steven is here so that he can step in should we need him to”

  
Pearl summoned her phone from her gem. Steven had given all the gems ‘communicators’ as Pearl called them because they made working as a team so much easier. But also because Steven and Connie now did mission together on their own and Pearl wanted to remain in contact.

  
“Come back to the temple, Steven, I have a surprise for you…” Pearl wrote in a text.

  
Steven didn’t reply. With moments a pink portal opened and out leapt Lion with Steven and Connie on his back. Steven jumped off Lion’s back and ran over to Pearl excitedly hopping slightly. Connie sighed and climbed off Lion and walked up to Lion’s head to start petting his mane.

  
“My goodness, Steven, I hope you haven’t got your hopes up to much. It’s only me and Peridot are fusing and we need you to keep watch in case we’re unstable”

  
Steven’s eyes lit up “Fusion, fusion, fusion!” Steven chanted.

  
“Oh come on, Steven, you’re almost 20, surely by now it’s not this exciting?” Connie giggled.

  
“Hey! Let a guy have some fun, eh? I still get excited when it’s time for us to fuse…”

  
“Aww, you’re sweet” Connie said condescendingly.

  
Pearl giggled at their couples spat “Anyways, Steven, Peridot hasn’t fused before so we just need to go through that before we fuse”

  
“Can we just get on with this? Its fusion, it’s not exactly fission!” Peridot exclaimed.

  
Pearl burst out laughing but no one else did. Steven and Connie looked at Pearl confused as Peridot blushed. Pearl stopped when she realised she was alone laughing.

  
“Don’t you get it…? As in nuclear fission…? Ahem, well ok then, we should start” Pearl said awkwardly.

  
“So what do we do? Touch finger tips or something?” Peridot said looking at Pearl’s hands with mild contempt.

  
“My goodness, you know absolutely nothing of fusion… no matter, I can work with this. Fusion is achieved by two gems simply matching their rhythms so they can metamorphose into one”

  
“I see, well we’ll need equipment to measure at what rate our gems are resonating in order to achieve proper… what are you two giggling at?” Peridot yelled at Steven and Connie.

  
“Oh shh you two. It’s just that we don’t do it that way. Fusion isn’t an exact science, it’s about trust and letting yourself go and become part of something far great”

  
Peridot stared at Pearl shocked “I’ve changed my mind, find somebody else” she said quickly.

  
Pearl sighed “Peridot, no. We need to fuse in order to deactivate that robonoid otherwise it will shut down the Sky Barrier and leave earth defenceless”

  
“But how can you be sure we’ll be more intelligent?” Peridot whined.

  
“Well because… Pearls used to fuse to achieve a being of greater intelligence back on Homeworld and since Peridots are now the replacement for Pearls, it stands to reason that the same effect would be achieved” Pearl said slightly disturbed by her memories.

  
“Urgh, fine! We’ll fuse, so how do we fuse?” Peridot asked impenitently.

  
“Well most gems achieve fusion best through dance” Pearl said softly.

  
“Dancing!? Are you serious? We have to dance?”

  
“It’s not that bad once you give it a go” Connie chuckled.

  
“Yeah! Plus the only alternative is hugging” Steven added.

  
The pair started giggling uncontrollably as Peridot grimaced at their mockery.

  
“Fine, show me how to dance” Peridot said through gritted teeth and offering her hand to Pearl.

  
For the next hour Pearl showed Peridot the basics of dancing. She’d demonstrate a move with a Holo-Pearl and Peridot repeat it with her own Holo-Pearl. Peridot picked up the moves very quickly by scanning each move carefully and replicating it perfectly. Pearl was impressed with how she had such a fast learner on her hands. If only teaching Steven had been this easy.

  
“Wonderful! I’m impressed Peridot, you’ve learned so fast!” said Pearl loudly once they had the basics covered, waking Steven and Connie who’d fallen asleep.

  
“Thank you, Pearl” Peridot said.

  
Pearl looked over at the robonoid as strained against its restraints.

  
“Ok, I think time is of the essence here. Peridot, are you ready to fuse?” Pearl said a little panicked.

  
“I guess so. Shall I lead?” she said dismissively.

  
“Ah yes, I’m more experienced with fusion, I’ll have an easier time of matching your rhythm”

  
The pair stood in front of each other and Peridot offered her hand. The pair held hands and Peridot put her arm around Pearl’s waist as Pearl placed her hand on Peridot’s shoulder. Pearl smiled at Peridot to give her encouragement but Peridot just frowned back. The pair began to dance. It was a simple waltz but would be enough for their purposes. As they danced their gems glowed brighter and brighter. Steven was now bouncing with excitement as they got nearer and nearer the moment. Connie however just rolled her eyes.

  
Finally Peridot dipped Pearl and the bodies began to glow. In the glow their bodies merged and shrank into one mass. The glowing mass then grew and floated up above the ground. Parts elongated and appeared to separate but it was hard to tell, the light was so bright. Steven and Connie shielded their eyes when there was one final last bright flash.

  
The glow faded and Steven and Connie could see Pearl and Peridot’s fusion. What was first noticeable was her head consisted of two faces, one that looked like that of Pearl and the other was that of Peridot. Peridot’s visor was wrapped around the side of the head, covering Pearl’s right eye and Peridot’s left. Her eyes were closed. On Pearl’s face they appeared relaxed but on Peridot’s they looked determined. The fusion’s hair was a singular ponytail that sprouted from a dark green circle that floated unattached just above their head. The head itself floated just above the neck of the torso. The torso was clothed in low cut version of Peridot’s jump suit, with the line of the fabric coming in under the arms. Well it would if the arms were attached.

  
The arms floated just an inch of so off the body. Two were daintily poised above her head with the wrists crossed and the other two were carefully held in front of herself with each hand clasping the other. The arms themselves had skin like porcelain and each part of the arms floated separately like they were the neatly broken arms of a statue possessed by a poltergeist. The hand on the bottom arms were whole but moved stiffly like animated stone. The hands on the top arms were more segmented and had gaps where the knuckles were.

  
The torso floated just above the waist and in between floated a sheer fabric tutu as if it was wrapped around a stomach that wasn’t there. Her waist was narrow and so was her hips. The top of her legs were slender like Pearl but also strong. Like the bottom set of hands, the waist and top of the legs were one and moved stiffly. It almost looked uncomfortable. There was another gap where the knees should have been and the legs then lead into the calves. They looked artificial, as if part of something futuristic and robotic. They bulged out at the back at the top but as they went on, they tapered to a point that she carefully balanced herself on with poise and precision. She began to float now, no more than an inch from the ground but teetered ever so slightly like she was standing on an invisible plinth.

  
“Hello, Steven. I am Beryl”

  
Beryl do not form words. The lips on her faces did not moved. She instead seemed to emit a fuzzy static but when you heard it, it made sense into words. The feeling was bizarre, like catching a snippet of a conversation in another language that you didn’t speak and by some miracle understanding it.

  
“Hey Beryl, how do you feel?” Steven asked cautiously.

  
“I am feeling well. I believe I was summoned for a task”

  
“Oh yeah” disappointed there was no more ceremony to Beryl’s arrival “You need to try and disarm that robonoid” said Steven pointing.

  
“Ah. Of course” said Beryl as she walked over to it.

  
“Steven, what is she saying? All I can hear is static” whispered Connie to Steven.

  
“Apologises. I was only directing my speech towards Steven. I’ll be sure to include anyone else present in future conversations”

  
“Ok, how did I understand that?” said Connie confused and slightly frightened.

  
“Yeah, how is this happening?” Steven added.

  
“Do not fear. I am just communicating on a telepathic level. It makes confusion so much easier to avoid. The static you hear is a side effect”

  
Beryl extended her lower arms and produced a tractor beam from them around the robonoid. She lifted it into the air, easily breaking the whips that held it down. Now free it struggled wildly but Beryl increased the force of the traction beam and its limbs went still. She extended one of her upper arms to the access panel Peridot had opened. She brought up the holographic panel again and she placed her hand inside and spread her finger wide. Her eyes opened wide but on them was only static. Both her faces showed determination as she worked away at the robonoid’s code. Finally she carefully retracted her hand from the panel and dropped the robonoid from her tractor beam which fell lifelessly to the ground.

  
“Is it done?” Connie asked.

  
“Yes. The coding was trivial to decipher. It only proved complicated because Peridot is incompetent”

  
“So… you going to unfuse now?” Steven asked awkwardly.

  
“Why do you ask that, Steven? I thought you liked fusion” Beryl said flatly.

  
“I do… it’s just that Pearl doesn’t like fusion unless it’s for an emergency and…” said Steven nervously.

  
“Pearl is not here. Besides, there is far too much work to be done that you need my help for”

  
“Such as?” Connie inquired sceptically.

  
“You’re so called Sky Barrier. Based on the data I have from Pearl’s memories, it could do with upgrading. Also I need to assess all our defences. Knowing Pearl and Peridot, they’re inadequate”

  
“Hey, they’re smart! What do you know?” Connie said defensively.

  
“I know many things, human. You’re lucky we let you fight for us. If I lead this resistance, I’d only allow for capable fighters”

  
Connie looked on shocked and tears started to well up in her eyes.

  
“Hey! How dare you say that to Connie!? She’s a great warrior!” Steven snapped.

  
“No, Steven, she’s right, I’m not a great warrior like you”

  
“And who said I think Steven is a great warrior?” she said coldly with her eyes on both faces staring at them fiercely from side on.

  
The pair sat their stunned as Beryl floated away and toward the temple. They didn’t snap out of their stupor for at least 10 minutes.


	2. Chapter 2

Steven and Connie entered the house grumbling to themselves.

  
“Hey guys! You get a load of Beryl?” Amethyst called out as the entered with cackle “Oh man, talk about over doing it”

  
“Oh, hey Amethyst” said Steven unenthusiastically as he and Connie sat heavy on the sofa.

  
“Oh no, what’s up?” Amethyst instantly concerned.

  
“Oh it’s nothing…” said Steven absently as Lion lay his head on his lap.

  
“Now come on, nothing gets you to down unless it’s serious, now spill it!” said Amethyst now stood in front of them with her hands on her hips.

  
Connie sighed “Beryl said me and Steven aren’t real warriors”

  
Amethyst eyes went wide “What? What does that nerd know? You guys are great! Remember that time you cut the head off that gem beast?”

  
“I tore a muscle in my shoulder doing that!” Connie cried.

  
“So what? I’ve hurt myself plenty of times being awesome. And Steven, what about that time you shielded those children from that gem snake monster?”

  
“But the snake was only there because I punched it into that kindergarten by accident”

  
“You still saved them! Besides, the kids loved it. Point is, you guys are great!” said Amethyst smiling.

  
“Thanks, Amethyst” the pair said weakly.

  
“Oh for… I see Beryl has bummed you out. That’s fine, let’s just hug it out” said Amethyst as she sat between them.

  
“Thanks, Amethyst” the two said weakly as they tried to cuddle up to the tiny gems but ended up bumping heads.

  
“Er… Amethyst?” said Steven.

  
“Oops, sorry” said Amethyst with a nervous laugh.

  
Amethyst shapeshifted into a giant, shaggy haired bear and wrapped a huge paw around each of Connie and Steven’s shoulders. The two of them cuddled up to Amethyst and sighed happily.

  
“This is nice” Connie said happily.

  
“I know, I’m awesome”

  
“Say Amethyst… how do you stay so positive?” Steven asked.

  
“What you saying? You saying I shouldn’t be?” said Amethyst sounding offended.

  
“Oh no, I didn’t mean to…”

  
Amethyst cackled “I’m kidding, Steven. I know I’m not the strongest gem but I am who I am and if I can’t love that they who will?” Amethyst said wistfully.

  
“That’s easy for you to say. You may not be as strong as say Jasper was, but you’re stronger than any human…” Connie said as she buried her face in purple fur.

  
“So? You gotta stop comparing yourself to others. You may not be as strong as a Gem but you’re probably stronger than most humans. Isn’t that something?” Amethyst said challengingly.

  
“But Beryl doesn’t think I’m strong enough to defend Earth”

  
“Oh don’t listen to that nerd. Trust a fusion of Pearl and Peridot to be the biggest know-it-all since Pearl herself”

  
“Thanks Amethyst” said Connie with a half-smile.

  
“You’re welcome”

  
The three sat together until they all fell asleep. Lion eventually got bored of not having attention so walked off, probably to harass poor Lars who still worked at the Big Donut. The door to the temple then opened which caused Amethyst to jolt awake.

  
“Who? What? Who is it?” Amethyst said groggily.

  
“Hello, Amethyst. Have you seen Pearl?”

  
“Oh, she apparently fused with Peridot to fix that Robonoid and then she went somewhere on the Warp Pad”

  
“Pearl or the fusion?” Garnet said confused.

  
“Oh, the fusion, apparently she’s called Beryl or some biz”

  
“I see. Did she say where she was going?” Garnet inquired sounding worried.

  
“No, she just floated in, gave me this look like Peridot does when she sees me eating a engine oil meatball hoagie and then used the warp pad”

  
“This could be a problem… also, what are you doing?”

  
“Oh this? Steven and Connie were bummed out because Beryl said they weren’t warriors”

  
“I see this Beryl isn’t as smart as she thinks she is” Garnet said with a smirk.

  
“Yeah, I was trying to tell that to Connie. But they just needed a hug. They’re only human” Amethyst smiled.

  
Steven stirred and sat up, his hair messy from becoming entangled in Amethyst’s bear fur.

  
“Oh hey, Garnet, what’s up?” Steven said yawning.

  
“Good morning, Steven. Did Beryl mention where she was going?” Garnet tried to ask casually.

  
“Oh. That jerk. No she didn’t. She did though mention something about the Sky Barrier and it needing an upgrade”

  
“Oh no” said Garnet a little panicked.

  
“What’s up? You don’t think… Pearl would never do anything that would put Earth at risk”

  
“But isn’t Pearl. Remember Steven, fusions are their own people and Beryl might not believe defending Earth is as noble a cause as you or I would see it”

  
“Oh no… you don’t think she’d try and sabotage it, do you?” Steven said concerned.

  
“I don’t know, but I can’t trust her until I’m sure” said Garnet before walking for the warp pad.

  
“Where you going?” said Steven concerned.

  
“I’m just going to go check on the Sky Barrier to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with” said Garnet.

  
“Should we come?” Steven said.

  
“No. You stay here. I shouldn’t be gone long” said Garnet before stepping on the warp pad and teleporting away.

  
“Don’t worry, Steven, Garnet can’t have her ego hurt by that nerd” said Amethyst.

  
Steven giggled “I guess so”

 

* * *

  
The Sky Barrier was an energy shield that went around the entire planet and would vaporise almost everything that passed through it. It was projected from a circular platform that the Gems had put into orbit. As Garnet stepped off the warp pad she could see the tower in the centre where the shield was projected from. Energy pulsed from the tip and could be seen skimming over the top of the atmosphere as it circumnavigated the globe. At the base of the tower was a hole where Jasper’s gem was set heavily into a lots of nodes and wires which were all designed to syphon off her energy.

  
Garnet grimaced as she always did when she saw Jasper’s prison. She had a lot of hate for the gem but never enough to wish this upon her. But it was necessary because Jasper had proven impossible to contain any other way. After freeing Lapis from Malachite and defeating Jasper, they’d initially bubbled her gem like any other. But Jasper proved too powerful to be contained and broke out and in her rampage nearly crushed Amethyst’s gem. Desperate, they set her gem in Lapis’ mirror but again that didn’t prove enough and she broke out again. Out of desperation and fear for Steven’s safety, Pearl went ahead and made a device with Peridot’s help with the purpose of weakening Jasper by syphoning off her residual energy so she didn’t have enough to reform. It worked but needed to be hooked up to Beach City’s electrical grid just so that all the energy the device put out had somewhere to go. The Gem’s had to fake that Beach City had built wind turbines to avoid suspicion when someone from the electric company came wondering why Beach City was contributing double what it normally used to the electrical grid.

  
Eventually the idea came about to use Jasper’s gem to power a sky barrier because robonoid attacks were getting ever more frequent. Garnet was initially against the idea, citing that using Jasper as Beach City’s dynamo was humiliation enough. But in the end Pearl and Peridot acted against Garnet’s order and built the Sky Barrier and put it into orbit. Garnet had been furious but didn’t order for it to be taken down because it did work and was stopping the number of Robonoid reaching Earth significantly.  
It was however another reason why Garnet could never wholly trust Pearl.

  
Beryl was floating over an open panel on the floor with her legs crossed and her lower hands clasped together. She was using her telekinesis to lift out various parts before tinkering with them using her upper arms and then putting them to the side. Both her faces continued to face to the side with the eyes still closed, as if she knew innately what she was doing and didn’t need to look to confirm. The sky barrier was still active above her so clearly she hadn’t ripped out anything important. Yet.

  
“Hello, Beryl” Garnet said flatly to her back.

  
“Hello, Garnet, what brings you hear?” Beryl said, speaking directly into both Ruby and Sapphire’s mind and her faces remaining motionless.

  
“You can talk to me directly, Beryl. Please don’t go through Ruby and Sapphire”

  
“Apologies. It’s just I like to be clear and the mind of a fusion can be chaotic and hard to communicate with telepathically”

  
“Well then why don’t you talk with your mouth?” said Garnet unimpressed.

  
“As I said, I prefer clarity. But if you insist, I’ll talk to just you, Garnet”

  
Garnet felt cold when Beryl said that last sentence. She had heard it but she sensed Ruby and Sapphire had not. She was fully aware that she was her own entity and that when fused, Ruby and Sapphire were aspects of her in conversation, but she’d never had the sensation that she only heard something and Ruby and Sapphire hadn’t.

  
“Can you not do that?” Garnet grimaced.

  
“Excuse me? But you asked for me to just address you. Ruby and Sapphire can’t hear my words” said Beryl, continuing to only address Garnet.

  
“Stop it! Just address us all!” Garnet said furious.

  
“Why? Don’t you want to be thought of as your own being? I don’t know why you allow Ruby and Sapphire to chatter away in your head, you should block them out like I did with Pearl and Peridot”

  
“I said stop it!” Garnet screamed.

  
“Fine, I’ll address all of you” said Beryl finally communicating with all three minds.

  
Garnet composed herself “What are you doing Beryl?” she said through gritted teeth.

  
“Just some simple upgrades. Pearl and Peridot clearly rushed this. So incompetent”

  
“But the barrier works fine. How do I know you’re not tampering with it?”

  
“Why would I? To destroy is easy. To improve takes creativity, intelligence, wit, ingenuity. I’d go on but I’m not Sardonyx”

  
“Hmm…” said Garnet unconvinced.

  
“If you distrust me so, look into my mind, see that my intentions are pure. Oh wait, you can’t do that, you only have that party trick you call future vision”

  
Garnet stood her ground and stared Beryl down, trying to get some reaction out her stoic face that hadn’t moved this entire conversation. She scanned her whole form for some cue, some tell that would give her any indication of her intentions.

  
“You’re trying to use it now, how quaint. All I can tell you that I have no intentions to turn off this Sky Barrier. Can’t see why you would be against that though. You hated the idea of this from the start”

  
“Pearl and Peridot may have acted against my orders but it’s a necessary evil to protect Earth” Garnet said with forced calm.

  
“Oh please, why do you lie when I can see directly into your mind? You’re still angry at them for doing this. For the humiliation they brought a true warrior such as Jasper. You’d preferred that you had just killed Jasper. Crushed her gem in your gauntlet than see her suffer”

  
“Well how is this any better than the Clusters that Homeworld created?” said Garnet as she violently gestured to Jasper’s gem “Using gems as weapons is barbaric and yet hear we are, using a prisoner of war as literal body shield”

  
“Well then, destroy the shield. I won’t stop you. Remember, Pearl and Peridot are not here. I’m only here because I see a challenge. Does not matter to me”

  
Garnet stood straight and summoned her gauntlets, ready to obliterate the containment device Jasper’s gem sat in before crushing it when suddenly she felt her body freeze. She was being held in place by Beryl’s telekinesis.

  
“But do remember, you endanger Earth by doing this”

  
“But you said you wouldn’t stop me” Garnet said desperately, trying to fight.

  
“I did, but you also need to consider the whole picture. You’re too rash, Garnet. You’re too confident in your actions and always think them to be righteous because of that future of vision of yours. You’re unfit to lead the resistance against Homeworld”

  
Garnet relaxed and returned her gauntlets to her gems. She as in shock. No one had been this honest with her except Steven. Beryl was an equal; a fusion who could see inside her mind. Maybe she was right. She’s only became the leader because when Rose left them, everyone had looked to her because the perceived her to be the strongest.

  
“Maybe Steven is ready to lead us?” Garnet wondered.

  
“Steven? Are you mad? You think Steven is fit to lead a resistance? He’s too kind like his weak Mother”

  
“Rose was not weak! She had to make sacrifices no one else could!” Garnet fumed.

  
“Letting your soldiers die because you’re outgunned isn’t a sacrifice, it’s a mistake. One she made for underestimating her opponent”

  
“Rose was outgunned and could do nothing to save us! Homeworld wanted us dead! It was a miracle she saved any of us!”

  
“Oh really? If I’d been you’re leader, none of you would be dead and we’d have obtained victory”

  
“You think you would have been a better leader? You’re too cold, Beryl”

  
“Leadership doesn’t need compassion, it simply needs you to do what needs to be done, regardless of petty morality.”

  
“But no one would follow you”

  
“No issue of mine. Those who would go against me would be repurposed”

  
“Into batteries for your weapons?”

  
“Yes”

  
“You’re cruel, Beryl”

  
“By your definition, Garnet. By another’s I would be thought heroic”

  
“Yes! By Homeworld! Why bother fighting if you’re just going to use the tactics they do. Do you think Rose’s intention was destroy Homeworld in order to declare victory?”

  
“It would have ended the war”

  
“Yes, but the purpose of the Rebellion was to change opinion, to stop Homeworld’s treatment of the universe as its own personal resource basket”

  
“Garnet, any sentient being is stubborn. They give so much meaning to themselves that naturally their opinions mean the world to them. You can’t change the opinions of an entire power hungry race by setting a good example. You give them an ultimatum; submit or be destroyed”

  
“I Will not let you lead this Rebellion, Beryl! I’d die before letting you corrupt Rose’s vision with your brutal tactics! The Rebellion was intended to be peaceful. The fact it ended in war was all the fault of Homeworld!”

  
“And I would have foresaw that simply crushed Homeworld before they could destroy me”

  
“And what about the humans? How would you protect them in this conflict?”

  
“Ah yes, the humans that you were trying to protect. Well I don’t know why Rose had such love for them but let’s say it would be a challenge to stop them from dying”

  
“Are you saying you’d let the humans just die to protect yourself?”

  
“Oh goodness no. I mean it would be a fun challenge to try and keep them alive. So yes, the humans would survive”

  
Garnet just stood there in shock. Beryl was proving herself to be dangerous and powerful. She couldn’t trust her and she couldn’t let her lead the Crystal Gems because Rose would be ashamed if they let someone so cruel and coldly logical lead her revolution. Garnet needed to think on her action, away from Beryl where she couldn’t see her thoughts.

  
“Yes, yes, you need to think about what you’re going to do with me. Please go and leave me to my work. It’s hard enough to block out Pearl and Peridot without your mind yammering away as well” Beryl communicated to just Garnet.

  
Garnet stepped on the warp pad and looked to Beryl to see if she made any movement before she left. She didn’t.

  
“Stay strong, Pearl, I’ll get you out of there” Garnet muttered before the warp pad activated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about this being a little late. I was trying to post a chapter a week but I was busy at the weekend plus things have been shitty in my Uni house. Hope you liked it and thanks for all the love!
> 
> (I'm also aware I briefly spelt shoulders and soldiers, friend pointed this out)


	3. Chapter 3

“Garnet! Garnet! Come back! No! Please! Don’t go!” Pearl cried out with her mind in vain.

  
She felt the presence of Garnet’s mind disappear once the warp pad activated, leaving Pearl alone in the black void that she’d been in since she’d fused with Peridot.

  
“Will you stop it? Help me get control of this stupid fusion!” Peridot’s voice echoed around her.

  
“Peridot? Where are you? I can’t see you” Pearl cried out desperately.

  
“I’m everywhere! We’re in our collective subconscious! Why are you wasting mental faculties by giving yourself presence here?” Peridot sneered.

  
“Because I don’t want to lose myself! Beryl could try and erase us at any time, we have to be ready to fight her”

  
“She can’t do that without erasing herself! Now help me get back in control of this thing!”

  
“You can’t pilot a fusion, it doesn’t work like that!” Pearl cried out desperately.

  
Peridot appeared as herself in front of Pearl and stomped up to her furious.

  
“What do you mean we can’t pilot her? That’s what fusion is, right?”

  
“Oh my goodness, you weren’t ready to fuse at all, this was a horrible mistake!”

  
“Hey! Don’t blame me! I told you that I had no experience! Why didn’t you see this as an eventuality?”

  
“Because I didn’t appreciate Beryl could be intelligent enough to become her own consciousness divorced from our own minds”

  
“What do you mean?” Peridot grumbled.

  
“Usually when two gems fuse, their minds meld into one and the fusion’s mind and personality will be an amalgamation of the two gems. The gems who made the fusion will still exist separately but will work together, like the left and right hemispheres of human brains. So a fusion is two or more separate entities and one entity, all at the same time. But it seems that Beryl was birthed from our collective consciousness and is so intelligent that she’s able to supress us. She is us but warped and evolved”

  
“So you’re saying we can’t get out? Great! First time I fuse and I get trapped in some pretentious show off who keeps insulting me!”

  
“I wish Amethyst was here”

  
“What would she do? Disgust Beryl so much that she’d unfuse?”

  
“No! We’ve talked about what it’s like when she forms Sugilite and she says it’s fun as long as you’re doing what Sugilite wants to do. But if you try and stop her, Sugilite will block you out and get angry and irritable. She usually doesn’t like to talk about it anymore than that. It seems too painful”

  
“Urgh… why do you clods even fuse when it’s so risky?”

  
“Because fusion is about becoming so much more than you could ever be, it’s about being closer with another being than you could ever could. It’s beautiful”

  
“Well maybe that’s the problem; we don’t like each other enough”

  
“You don’t feel a part of the Crystal Gems do you?”

  
“Well how could I when I’m essentially your prisoner!”

  
“You’re not our prisoner, we wanted to show mercy”

  
“Only because Steven asked you to…”

  
Pearl stammered slightly “I’m sorry I’ve tried to kill you”

  
Peridot folded her arms and sighed “I’m sorry I tried to kill you. And Steven. And all you Crystal Clods”

  
“Do you have to call us clods? You know where that term comes from and its offensive”

  
Peridot sighed “Sorry, I heard commanding officers use it a lot on Homeworld, didn’t know it was what they called Kindergarten Gems until I joined the Crystal Gems”

  
“It’s ok, just try to use it less”

  
Pearl was sat down now with legs in front of her and buried her face in her knees. Peridot sat opposite her on her knees with her hands on her lap. She looked at Pearl’s form and noted how life like it looked for just a projection of Pearl’s mind. She looked at her own projection and it made her shudder to realise she’d made her astral-self wearing her power armour. It had been so long since she’d seen herself out of it she could hardly remember what she looked like. The curse of being such a weak gem physically, she thought.

  
“What are we going to do to get out of here?” Peridot said defeated.

  
“I don’t know” said Pearl with a whisper.

  
Suddenly Pearl felt her mind gripped and she couldn’t move. She looked to Peridot who’d tensed up. She could only assume she was undergoing the same experience. Pearl felt her mind go foggy and herself drifting away. She’d have panicked if she didn’t know she was falling asleep. Just before she lost consciousness, she felt a pang of guilt for Peridot who would probably be panicking because she’d never experienced sleep as far as she knew. The pair dropped flat to the floor of the black void before their astral projections faded.

  
“Ah, that’s better” Beryl thought to herself “Hmm, interesting, these clods stumbled on a way to transfer energy from one gem to another. I wonder if I can use this for anything…”

 

* * *

  
Garnet stepped off the warp pad in the house and noticed the cuddle fest was over. Steven and Connie were watching something on the TV placed on the coffee table and Amethyst was making some ‘food’ using paint and ham.

  
“Hey Garnet!” Steven called without looking up from his show.

  
“Hey G, how’d it go with the nerd?” Amethyst said with a chuckle.

  
“Not good. Steven, Connie, as a precaution I want you fused at all times” Garnet said sternly.

  
“But Garnet, Pearl says we should only fuse in emergencies and…” Steven said.

  
“I said fuse now mister!” Garnet snapped.

  
Steven and Connie reflexively held hands in surprise and instantly fused into Stevonnie who awkwardly sat on the sofa, unsure where to place her hands. Their head had just missed the beam above them, much to their relief. Stevonnie grumped because they were too tall to see the TV properly so picked up the TV to look at it properly.

  
“Oh yeah, you forget how big Stevonnie is now Steven and Connie are all grown up” Amethyst said.

  
“I know! I remember when I used to be able to fit through doorways” Stevonnie chuckled.

  
“Ha! I’ll never have the problem!” Amethyst cackled.

  
“Amethyst!” Garnet said sounding annoyed.

  
“Er… yeah, Garnet?” Amethyst panicked.

  
“I need you on standby to form Sugilite. If Beryl tries to challenge me for leadership, I want to show her whose boss”

  
“Wait, what? Beryl is challenging you for leadership?” Amethyst said bemused.

  
“No. She said I was too rash and unfit to lead. I was half ready to agree with her until I heard her say how she’d lead the crystal gems and I can’t let her do that!”

  
“And don’t you think you’re sort of proving her point with how rash you’re being now?”

  
“Amethyst, you don’t understand! She says she’d destroy Homeworld just to end the war. She’s prepared to nearly wipe out her race just to win!”

  
“Ok, that does sound bad but I’m not forming Sugilite”

  
“Why not?” Garnet growled.

  
“Well because you promised me we’d never have to! After we last used her to beat Jasper, you promised we’d never use her. We barely had her under control. It was scary…”

  
“Hmm…”

  
“Look, I’m sorry, I’m not ready to trust myself in Sugilite. I’ve grown but part of me still loves going off the chain and Sugilite is just too much a temptation”

  
Garnet didn’t answer. She just stomped out the house and slammed the door.

  
“Ah jeeze, Beryl must have been a jerk to her as well”

  
“Oh no… do you reckon it’ll be ok if I unfuse? As Garnet is not here now?” Stevonnie asked sheepishly.

  
“Why do you want to unfuse?” Amethyst said confused.

  
“I don’t it’s just… Pearl wouldn’t like it…”

  
“Well she isn’t here! Besides, I get to cuddle up with you now!” Amethyst said as she ran over.

  
“But how can I cuddle you and hold the TV? Only two arms remember”

  
“Oh that’s fine, just put the TV on this stool” said Amethyst as she put a stool on the coffee table.

  
“Oh good idea!” Stevonnie said as they placed the TV down on the stool.

  
Amethyst leaped into Stevonnie’s lap and the pair continued to watch the cartoon that Steven and Connie had been watching. It was a really creepy cartoon about two brothers who get lost in a mysterious wood and along the way question if they’re in fantasy or reality.

 

* * *

  
It was the next morning and sunlight was gently pouring in from the sunrise. Stevonnie had spent the night with the Cool Kids who were more Cool Twenty Somethings with hip jobs who happened to be in Beach City visiting. They had bumped into each other when Stevonnie had gone to frolic on the beach.

  
Amethyst came out the temple yawning and stretching. She started to make herself breakfast when the warp pad activated and there stood Beryl. She was motionless and began to float forward. Amethyst wondered if she did this whole statue routine naturally or was it all show.

  
“Hey, Beryl! What’s the haps?” Amethyst said, trying to be as 90s and annoying as she could.

  
“Hello Amethyst, I see you’re eating again” Beryl said, coming to stop just in front of the kitchen unit but with her body facing towards the door of the house.

  
“Yeah dude! Eating is the best! I feel sorry for humans who can’t eat all they want to like I do!”

  
“Yes, but you don’t need to eat, so why do you?” said Beryl.

  
“Well because I like it? I do what I want! Ain’t nobody the boss of me!” Amethyst cackled.

  
“Yes, that does seem a problem of yours, doesn’t it? A lack of respect for authority”

  
“I’m just a rebel without a cause” Amethyst said smugly.

  
“Garnet is too soft on you. She should have sided with Pearl more when she disciplined you. As foolish as the clod was, she was right on the fact that you are out of control”

  
“Hey, don’t call Pearl a clod! Especially in front of me!” Amethyst fumed.

  
“No. And don’t you answer back to me, I am your superior”

  
“Oh what, because you’re a fusion? Garnet doesn’t treat me less, so neither should you!”

  
“Oh please, Garnet doesn’t know anything”

  
“Trying to prove her to be a bad leader? She told us about your plans to take over! Well I won’t follow you, you great big jerk!”

  
Beryl lowered her head slightly “You Crystal Gems are so stubborn. You want to fight for what you believe in but seem adamant to refuse the actuality of what that entails. You need leadership from someone prepared to do what is needed to win. Not comprise with peace”

  
“What have you done with Pearl!? She wouldn’t be saying this so why are you?”

  
“Pearl has been blocked out for now. Her constant protest was proving annoying”

  
Amethyst gasped “Peridot! Let Pearl go!”

  
“Ha! You think Peridot is doing this? That clod barely knows fusion, how could she hijack one? What you see, is what you get. I am Beryl. Pearl and Peridot are nothing of who I am”

  
“Oh jeeze, you’re like a nerdy Sugilite… I need to er… go” said Amethyst unnerved by Beryl and wanting to find Garnet so they could discuss how they were going to stop Beryl.

  
“Wait” said Beryl as she lifted Amethyst up with her telekinesis.

  
“Hey! Let go of me!” Amethyst said as she struggled.

  
“No, I have something to show you”

  
“Wait, no! Stop! Let me go!”

  
Beryl walked for the warp pad with Amethyst floating behind her. She continued to struggle until she felt the telekinesis release her and she froze. But then she was caught by Beryl and held firmly in her lower hands.

  
“Where you taking me?” Amethyst murmured as Beryl now stood on the warp pad.

  
“Oh you’ll see” Beryl said simply.

  
The warp pad active and the pair were teleported away.

  
“Help!” is all Amethyst managed to cry out before they departed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so to bringina who suggested we have a Pearl and Peridot discussion... I lied, that was this chapter. it wasn't my intention, I just wrote it and it seems to fit best here in the progression of the story. Thank you again for the suggestion!


	4. Chapter 4

“Hey! Let me go, you jerk!” said Amethyst as she tried to squirm out of Beryl’s grasp.

  
Beryl stepped off the warp pad onto the orbital platform of the Sky Barrier and walked over to the tower in the middle. She placed Amethyst on the ground then before Amethyst could run, she summoned a cage made of crystal around Amethyst. Amethyst almost protested but then sat down huffily, wondering where this was all going.

  
“Do you know why I brought you here?” Beryl asked as she fiddled with bits on the tower.

  
“I dunno, bore me to death?” said Amethyst as sat sulkily.

  
“No. I brought you here to offer you an opportunity”

  
“Is it earplugs for a $100? Because if it means I can’t hear your nerdy talk, I’m sold”

  
Beryl’s faces grimaced “Why must you always antagonise those smarter than you?”

  
“Why you got to talk down to those dumber than you?”

  
“I don’t talk down to you! I can’t help if how I talk makes you feel unintelligent!” Beryl said telepathically while flinging her arms aside.

  
“Someone’s flustered” Amethyst smirked.

  
Beryl froze her animated limbs before carefully drawing them back to her body and resuming her usual statue form. She circled Amethyst’s caged, not communicating a word. Her faces were showing no expression but Amethyst could tell she was trying to think of some line of reasoning that would stop Amethyst’s sass.

  
“Do you wish you were stronger, Amethyst?” Beryl eventually said coming to a stop.

  
“What do you mean, I’m already super tough” Amethyst said unsure.

  
“Yes, but would you like to be even stronger? Would you like reach your full potential?”

  
“Hey! You saying I’m weak as well as dumb?” Amethyst exclaimed.

  
“No. I said you don’t reach your potential. You are aware that you’re what they call… overcooked”

  
“Yeah I know. Means I stayed in the ground too long because I wasn’t sucking up enough energy and in the end they just left me”

  
“Exactly. But an Amethyst should be a lot stronger than you are. You are aware of the Amethyst’s history, correct?”

  
“No… Rose wouldn’t let Garnet tell me”

  
“I see. Well Amethysts were a wonderful advancement in gem production. Amethysts were designed to be as strong as Jaspers but easier to make. I’m sure you’ve heard the infamous legend that it took an entire planet’s energy to make one Jasper. Although such stories were exaggerated, the production of Jasper gems was incredibly resource intensive and time consuming. But a simple change was made; take out the Jasper’s incredible hardiness. As you can remember from your encounters with them, Jaspers are incredibly hard to poof but those on Homeworld realised that having a few very hardy and strong gems compared not to thousands of merely strong gems. After all, gems can regenerate their form so why did we need to have gems who had forms that with stood punishment?”

  
“So you’re saying I’m just cannon fodder?” Amethyst said dejectedly.

  
“Well I wouldn’t say that… Amethysts were an important tool in Homeworld’s arsenal”

  
“So if I’m just a gem that Homeworld sent at their enemies in the thousands just to get poofed, why do you need me?”

  
“Because I intend to combine the best qualities of Jaspers and Amethysts into one so you can be my ultimate asset!”

  
“Asset? Is that all you see me as? An asset? Beryl, I’m a Gem! I’m not some robot you programme and point! I don’t want to kill those from Homeworld even if I don’t know them. Yellow Diamond is leading this war and I don’t want to be used to slaughter thousands who are just following orders!”

  
“Oh for goodness sake, Amethyst, let me just do this, you’ll have the hardiness of a Jasper but the adaptable form of a Amethyst which gives you your shapeshifting prowess”

  
“I’m not doing it, Beryl and that’s final. Now let me out” Amethyst said firmly.

  
“Just know that if I wasn’t certain it would cause an immediate power struggle between me and Garnet, I’d be fully prepared to force you into this and reprogram you into my personal war machine”

  
“You’re sick Beryl. I want Pearl back!”

  
“Yes, I’d be honestly curious to see how you’d do that. Because frankly, I don’t plan to go anywhere” said Beryl as waved her hand and causing the cage to poof.

  
“What are you doing?” said Amethyst perplexed yet wary.

  
“Just go, Amethyst. I thought you’d appreciate being offered power but apparently all your swagger isn’t a front. You apparently actually believe yourself to be something impressive”

  
“Excuse me, you think I don’t want your help because of what? Some out of control ego? Beryl… what you’re offering is for me to become some brute. Your muscle to protect you from Garnet”

  
“You think I need protection from Garnet? Please, she’s nothing compared to me”

  
“Now who’s the one with the ego?”

  
“Yes, but how can it be called ego when it’s true?”

  
Amethyst didn’t have a further rebuttal for that “Well I hope you can take on Garnet by yourself because you won’t have my help!”

  
“Oh for goodness sake, don’t tell me you’re suggesting a rebellion? This is what the problem of you Crystal Gems is; so hot headed. Why can’t you just see I’m much smarter than you and listen to what I have to say?”

  
“You may have brains, Beryl, but you haven’t got a heart. Rose Quartz wouldn’t ever kill Homeworld just to win a war. She cared about Earth but also for Homeworld. You seem to want to kill Homeworld because... I don’t know! What’s your motivation to save Earth?”

  
“Garnet asked this and I’ll tell you what I told her. The challenge. Helping Homeworld destroy Earth would be easy but helping Earth destroy Homeworld would be the more delicious challenge”

  
“But wouldn’t helping destroy Earth then taking over Homeworld be a bigger challenge?”

  
Beryl stood up straight and spun her body to face Amethyst. Her faces didn’t move but it seemed as if she was regarding Amethyst in some manner.

  
“Wait a second… you don’t want to try that because you know you’d fail!” Amethyst exclaimed excitedly.

  
“No, quiet! Taking over Homeworld would be so trivial that I wouldn’t even attempt it!” communicated Beryl telepathically, her transmitted thoughts screaming in Amethyst’s head.

  
“No, you know you can’t do it! Blowing up a planet just takes a big bomb; challenging Yellow Diamond for Homeworld takes more than just your brains”

  
“I SAID BE QUIET AMETHYST!”

  
The message rang in Amethyst’s head. She fell to the ground clutching her temples until the ringing stopped and she regained clarity. Beryl’s faces were seething with rage and the eyes were finally open. But there was no pupil, only static. Beryl’s fists were clenched and shaking as she fought back her rage.

  
“Just get out of my sight Amethyst, before I do something I actually regret” Beryl said aloud with both her mouths.

  
“Like not speaking with your brain like a dork?” Amethyst smirked.

  
Beryl realised her mistake with embarrassment “Just go!” she screamed, launching an energy blast from one of her upper palms at Amethyst’s feet.

  
Knowing when to cut her losses, Amethyst ran for the warp pad and activated it before Beryl had chance to change her mind about letting her go. Before she teleported she saw Beryl trying to compose her now animated form. She’s gotten so used to seeing Beryl as a statue that seeing her visibly shake with rage was actually unusual. Amethyst’s only regret was not believing Garnet on how bad Beryl was.

  
On the other side she was in the house again and first spotted Garnet trying to focus on her future vision with Stevonnie and the Cool Kids stood off to the side looking worried.

  
“Hey guys, looking for me?” Amethyst said casually.

  
“Amethyst! Where have you been?” Stevonnie cried out.

  
“Oh nowhere special, just around” she said with a half chuckle.

  
“But we heard you call out for help!” Jenny exclaimed, shocked by Amethyst’s casual demeanour.

  
“Oh you know me, just messing around…” Amethyst said with little conviction.

  
“Amethyst?” said Garnet concerned.

  
“Say G, can we talk in private, please?”

  
“Ok. Stevonnie, can you and your friends please leave?”

  
“Oh, sure” said Stevonnie sounding worried.

  
The four left with Stevonnie needing to duck under the door frame, leaving Amethyst and Garnet alone who’d both sat on the sofa.

  
“So what were you not telling us, Amethyst?”

  
“Beryl just tried to make me into Jasper?”

  
There was a brief pause “Excuse me?”

  
“Apparently Beryl figured out some way to transfer Jasper’s energy to me so I’d become stronger”

  
“But that would just corrupt you… surely Beryl knows that…”

  
“Apparently not! Or maybe she did and just wanted to make me into some monster to fight Homeworld…”

  
“Beryl is out of control, we need to stop her” said Garnet haunted.

  
“Also I think touched a bit of a nerve with Beryl…”

  
“What have you done, Amethyst?” Garnet said worried.

  
“It’s just that I asked Beryl why she was fighting for Earth instead of destroying it and siding with Homeworld but then I found out that she doesn’t want to do that because she can’t side with Homeworld because she’s a fusion and she knows she can’t take over Homeworld by herself, so blowing it up so they don’t come for her is her only option”

  
“Did she say any of this?” Garnet said sceptical.

  
“Not directly but I suggested it and she went nuts! It was kind of scary”

  
“I see. Beryl is becoming rash it seems. I’m not even wholly sure she has sense of her own logic. We need to poof her so we can have Pearl and Peridot back”

  
“Well… we could always form Sugilite… I guess”

  
“Are you sure Amethyst?”

  
“We need some way to beat up that nerd and Sugilite is the best way I guess. She is super tough and probably can just beat up Beryl ‘till she poofs”

  
“Hmm, well I think we should form Sugilite now and wait for Beryl to return. The sooner we get back Pearl and Peridot, the better” said Garnet as she offered her hand to Amethyst.

  
Amethyst shakily took it and the pair walked outside hand in hand so they could fuse but not destroy the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so really sorry about how late this chapter is going up. University started again last week and I just had to put this on the back burner because university work takes priority. 
> 
> But don't fear! I won't abandon this fic! I'm having too much fun! Although chapters will be more spaced out from now on and with less of a schedule (sorry)
> 
> Also a little shorter than usual but I needed the break here


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So putting the notes at the start this time because I need to address something before we get going. 
> 
> So unfortunately this week my proof reader was too busy and thus the task of making sure this is all readable and spelt correctly fell to me and while I've tried to to do as good a job as possible, I know mistakes will have slipped the net. 
> 
> If you spot any, drop me a private message please and I will get them fixed. 
> 
> That aside, hope you enjoy!
> 
> EDIT (30/10/2015): This fic is not dead, btw. I came down with Sinusitus about a week and a but prior to writing this note so was unable to write the next chapter. It might be a little while longer before another update, so sorry!

Sugilite had been sat on the beach for several hours now, drumming her fingers on leg as she tried to resist the urge to smash something just to relieve the boredom. Stevonnie and the Cool Kids were just a few ways up the Beach, chatting to each other but Stevonnie wasn’t paying attention to their conversation because they were too busy keeping an eye on Sugilite. They didn’t know why Garnet and Amethyst had fused but she didn’t want to argue; mostly because they trusted Garnet’s decision but also because they didn’t want to question Sugilite.

  
“I’m bored!” cried out Sugilite “Where’s this nerd at? I just wanna smash her already!”

  
The Cool Kids froze in their conversation and looked at the monstrous fusion they’d been trying to ignore until now. Stevonnie noticed their tension and went over to Sugilite.

  
“Hey, Sugilite! Stop yelling, you’re making my friends nervous!” Stevonnie yelled up at Sugilite.

  
“I don’t care if I’m making them pee their pants! I’m bored, ok? That nerd’s probably gone off into space or something”

  
“Well if that’s the case, why don’t you unfuse so that Garnet, Amethyst and me can go find Beryl” Stevonnie continued to yell.

  
“Unfuse? I ain’t unfusing until I’ve kicked that nerd’s butt, ok? Besides, she insulted my girl Amethyst so this is personal” Sugilite muttered.

  
“Ok, but please promise me you won’t destroy Steven’s house if you do fight Beryl!”

  
“No promises. But remember my weapon is a wrecking ball so sorry if I smash up your place”

  
Stevonnie sighed “Ok, Sugilite, just stay patient, please!”

  
“Urgh! Fine! That Beryl better hurry up or I’ll…” The warp pad activated inside the house “Oh, speak of the Devil”

  
Sugilite stood up and grabbed the edged of the house’s roof and tore it off before throwing it in the sea.

  
“Sugilite! You said you wouldn’t wreck Steven’s house!” Stevonnie yelled indignantly.

  
“I said I wouldn’t smash it. All I did was tear the roof off” said Sugilite as she smirked at Beryl who stood on the warp pad holding something large and bubbled.

  
“Oh great, you’re here. Let me guess, you’re here to kick my butt? Please, Sugilite, I haven’t the time for this” communicated Beryl annoyed.

  
“Man, Amethyst was right; you are such a nerd! Talk like a proper gem instead of using your telepathy like you’re some Sapphire”

  
“You’re one third Sapphire! How… how are you mocking yourself?” said Beryl allowed before realising her mistake.

  
Sugilite cackled “Got ya! Getting to you is easier than I thought!”

  
Stevonnie had by now walked up the path to the house and had stepped into the now air conditioned dwelling and was stood opposite Beryl who was arguing with Sugilite.

  
“Say Beryl… what you got there?” Stevonnie asked unsure.

  
“Oh hello, Stevonnie, so nice to see a fusion I might be able to talk sense into. This here, as you ask, is the gem you mislaid”

  
“Lapis? What have you done to her?” Stevonnie said panicked.

  
“Calm down, Stevonnie, Lapis is only contained in this bubble to stop her running off. She’s totally fine, see?” communicated Beryl before popping the bubble.

  
Lapis fell out and moment she hit the floor started running. She noticed Stevonnie and immediately ran for them and cowered behind them.

  
“Stevonnie, what’s going on? Who or what is that thing?” Lapis said panicked.

  
“It’s Beryl. She’s a fusion of Pearl and Peridot but she’s out of control”

  
“Out of control? How dare you say that about me? Just because my ideas are radical doesn’t mean they’re wrong!”

  
“You’re ideas are dumb but you won’t admit that so just make up more dumb ideas to cover it!” Sugilite yelled down as she loomed above.

  
“Oh quiet you brute!” said Beryl audibly before switching back to telepathy “Stevonnie, please, all I want to do is finish what Rose Quartz started but with revisionist sensibilities.

Rose would never have the heart to destroy Homeworld to win a war but I do. It’s very sensible I feel”

  
“Beryl… you sound insane. I… I can’t side with you. None of what you do makes sense! Like why have you brought back Lapis? What plans have you for her?”

  
“Well she has loyalties to Homeworld so I couldn’t have her just running free”

  
“Loyalties to Homeworld? I kept one of their highest ranking officers as my prisoner for almost a year! They’d kill me on site if I tried to defect back”

  
“Oh believe me, they’d stoop as low as siding with a traitor like you when facing me”

  
Lapis looked on dumbfounded “What are you? You seem delusional to the point where you think you’re indestructible”

  
“I’m know I’m not indestructible but I know that if apply my vast intelligence to a problem that I will be able to figure it out and be successful”

  
“Oh really? Well let’s test both those theories” Sugilite said smugly before bringing her four clasped together fists down on Beryl’s head, smashing her into the ground.

  
Stevonnie had instinctively summoned a bubble around them and Lapis and waited tentatively as they felt the structure of what remained of the house creak and splinter. Stevonnie froze as they felt the building move and shift before stopping. They were about to drop the bubble and yell at Sugilite when a light green glow started to shine from hole where Beryl had been sent tunnelling into. Stevonnie quickly increased the density of the bubble just in time before an explosion of green energy tore apart what was left of the house and sent Lapis and Stevonnie flying onto the beach. Sugilite staggered backward a bit but looked up as Beryl shot up from the dust of the exploded house with energy glowing around her upper hands and her eyes wide and filled with static.

  
“Well I don’t know about you, but I think you might need to rethink you not being indestructible. Not many people can take one of my punches and still be walking” said Sugilite impressed.

  
“I didn’t want it to come to violence because I value myself on being able to speak reason to people and them agreeing. But it seems sometimes that certain unintelligent beings force my hand and make me resort to physical correction” Beryl said aloud, shaking with anger as she floated.

  
“You talk big, but I think when it comes to ‘physical correction’ as you call it, I’m the best there is”

  
“Oh be quiet with your show boating” said Beryl before she quickly charging up an energy blast and firing it at Sugilite’s chest, knocking her into the sea.

  
“Ok, I’ll give you that one for free as I got a free shot on you, but prepare to have your butt kicked!” said Sugilite as she jumped up, summoning her weapon.

  
She swung it at Beryl who pirouetted in the air out the way before charging up another energy blast and firing it at Sugilite’s face. Sugilite was prepared this time and set her stance to brace the impact and drew her wrecking ball close to block the shot. The wrecking ball was shattered to Sugilite surprise but quickly composed herself and summoned two more wrecking balls and leapt into the air.

  
She spun them quickly and launched them, one after the other straight at Beryl. Beryl gathered herself and charged up an energy blast in each of her upper hands before launching one then two at the approaching wrecking balls, blowing up each in turn.

  
“How about you attack in a manner that isn’t so telegraphed, Sugilite” Beryl gloated.

  
“Already way ahead of you” said Sugilite as she appeared beside Beryl before launching a punch at her head, sending it flying from her body.

  
The body fell to the ground lifeless with bits scattering everywhere. Sugilite landed on the beach with a look of utter smugness across her visage, confidently walking up to what remained of Beryl.

  
“See? Not so tough now without your head! Told you I’d kick your butt!” Sugilite cackled.

  
Suddenly though, Beryl’s body came back together and started to float, only this time it was headless. The body raised its upper hands to the sky as the head came flying back. The hands caught it and sharply shoved it down on the neck stump where it began to float again. The face that looked like Pearl had a crack on the left cheek that had partially crumbled. The eyes on the head opened before turning angry and vicious and filled with static.

  
“Are you done with these games, Sugilite?” Beryl said bitterly.

  
“I’m ain’t done until you’re poofed and we get Pearl back!” Sugilite sneered.

  
“Very well, you’ve clearly lost sight of reason, I have no choice but to…” but Beryl was cut short by a wrecking ball striking her chest.

  
“Why don’t you take your own advice and stop talking like a nerd!” Sugilite cackled.

  
Beryl got up from the various holes in the sand where her various body parts had struck the beach. A faint crack could be seen going up the whole of her torso. She placed her hand to the crack and felt along it. She clenched her fists and let out a piercing scream that everyone felt shake their minds; no one was sure if they’d heard it audibly or was Beryl screaming telepathically. Beryl quickly charged up an energy blast in each of her upper hands and fired them with such force that she was blown back. Sugilite dived out of the way as the energy blasts sailed past and headed towards the horizon where they finally exploded in a huge green cloud.

  
“Well if we’re getting serious, how about this!” Sugilite smirked before summoning a new weapon.

  
She had a bolas in each hand which she began to spin up. She threw one, then another and then another, each time summoning a new bolas after she’d thrown one. Beryl was able to easily shoot them out the air but they just kept coming and coming until there were too many for her to handle. The first one to snare her wrapped harmlessly around her thigh, but the next caught one of her upper arms and pinned it to her body. Soon various part of Beryl were lashed tightly to her body. Neither of her energy blasting arms were free nor her head which was wrapped in three bolas. She was about to break out when suddenly everything went dark. Confused she looked up and saw and extra-large wrecking ball falling towards her, smashing her into the beach.

  
“Sugilite, be careful! We don’t want to accidentally shatter Pearl and Peridot’s gems!” worried Stevonnie.

  
“Don’t worry so much, ok? That nerd will either be poofed or will have had enough and agree to unfuse, you’ll see”

  
Sugilite was about to pull off her wrecking ball when they both noticed it starting to glow light green. Before they could react, the wrecking ball rocketed skyward, knocking Sugilite back as the rope was wrenched from her hand. Beryl was floating there, perfectly intact but seemed to be floating more limply that before. Even the crack on her torso was gone.

  
Stevonnie panicked that Beryl was somehow able to reform even though she was a fusion but was momentarily distracted by all the green cracked panelling in the bottom of the crater where Beryl had been pounded into. But suddenly their attention was arrested when Sugilite grabbed them and rolled them out of the way of the falling wrecking ball.

  
“Thanks Sugilite!” Stevonnie said dizzy.

  
“Hey what’s the deal, Beryl!? You could have squished Stevonnie! They can’t regenerate like gems! You would have killed them!” Sugilite shouted angrily.

  
“What do you think the plan was?” said Beryl telepathically as she began to float more upright.

  
Sugilite tore off her shades and crushed them “What are you? How can something involving Pearl be so evil?”

  
“Didn’t you once say Pearl was nothing?” Beryl said telepathically yet smugly.

  
“I was angry at the time! Pearl is an amazing gem! You on the other hand, you’re nothing! And I’m going to get our Pearl back and that means getting rid of you!” said Sugilite as she launched punch at Beryl.

  
Beryl dodged the punch and the next, and the next after that. She nimbly dodged all of Sugilite’s wildly thrown blows. Her faces were a concentrated grimace as she put all her intellect into predicting where Sugilite’s next punch would land.

  
“That’s it!” Sugilite growled “I’m ending this!” said Sugilite before she summoned her wrecking ball.

  
Sugilite brought it above her head ready to smash down on Beryl but froze mid swing, letting the wrecking ball smash into the beach.

  
“No. I’m ending this!” Beryl said allowed before opening her eyes wide and them filling with static.

  
A green aura could be seen clearly around the frozen form of Sugilite. Worry could be seen etched into her face as Beryl stood opposite her with her arms held wide. Sugilite’s form began to glow and she was able to move again but started screaming in anguish. Beryl stopped floating and fell to the ground but still continued to grimace as Sugilite began to float and thrash wildly. Eventually the light from Sugilite’s glowing form became almost blinding until there was a final bright flash and Sugilite was more.

  
Stevonnie gasped and began to cry as they ran over to where Sugilite once was.

  
“Sugilite! Garnet? Amethyst!?” they said before hearing something fall next to them.

  
“Urgh…” said a familiar yet rarely heard voice.

  
“Ruby?” Stevonnie said before hearing another something drop nearby.

  
“Well that was unforeseen” said a serene yet disgruntled voice.

  
“Sapphire!?” said Stevonnie utterly confused before being knocked to the ground.

  
“Sorry, Stevonnie!” said Amethyst as she quickly got off Stevonnie.

  
“Sapphire! Are you ok?” cried Ruby as she ran over.

  
“I’m fine Ruby!” said Sapphire relived as she held her arms open for Ruby to leap in.

  
The pair embraced and began laughing happily but stopped as an uneasy realisation washed over them.

  
“Why aren’t we fusing, Sapphire?” said Ruby panicked.

  
“I… I don’t know, Ruby! What has she done to us?”

  
“Beryl! What have you done? You killed Garnet!” Stevonnie screamed at Beryl.

  
Beryl did not answer. She just floated there limp, like a puppet with loose strings. Her body appeared to be washed out, like it had lost its lustre.

  
“Beryl… is this some mind trick?” Amethyst asked worried.

  
Suddenly the face of Pearl moved on Beryl.

  
“Hello? Is anyone there?” Pearl said unsure.

  
“Pearl! Yes, we’re here Pearl!” Stevonnie cried excitedly.

  
“Oh thank goodness, I got through!” Pearl said happily.

  
“Pearl, you need to unfuse, now!” Stevonnie cried.

  
“I wish I could Steven but I can’t. I haven’t heard from Peridot in quite some time. We’ll both need to be conscious to unfuse Beryl”

  
“How are you talking to us?” Sapphire asked quickly.

  
“I think when Beryl forcibly pulled Sugilite apart, the mental effort caused her to black out meaning she can’t block me out. Oh no, I can feel her coming back!”

  
“Wait, Pearl! Stay with us!” Stevonnie said flustered but it was too late.

  
Pearl’s face went still again before Beryl’s form started to float upright again. She composed her limbs carefully to look as formal as possible before floating towards what was left of the house.

  
“Hey! What did you do to us! Why can’t I fuse with Sapphire anymore?” screamed Ruby with tears in her eyes “Hey! I’m talking to you!” Ruby yelled as she leapt at Beryl.

  
Beryl caught her in her telekinesis “Don’t start this again. I had to forcibly unfuse you by changing the resonance of gems. It’s a temporary side effect, it will pass”

  
“It better or else I’ll…”

  
“Or you’ll what? I just defeated Sugilite. You have nothing to challenge me with” said Beryl before she threw Ruby at Sapphire’s feet.

  
Beryl floated over the splintered remains of the house to the warp pad.

  
“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” Amethyst shouted out.

  
“Oh be quiet you annoying clod” said Beryl before she teleported away on the warp pad.


	6. Chapter 6

“Now Steven, you and your girlfriend can stay as long as you like until your house gets fixed” said Vidalia as she poured Steven some tea.

  
“Thanks, Vidalia” said Steven awkwardly as he didn’t like to take advantage of people’s hospitality.

  
“I can go home if needed” said Connie quickly “I still have a room in my parents’ house”

  
“But didn’t they move?” Steven asked confused.

  
“Yeah but it’s only a two hour bus ride” Connie said sheepishly.

  
“Nonsense, you two are both staying here. It seems like you’ll need each other. You guys look like you’ve had a rough day” said Vidalia softly.

  
“Rough is an understatement!” said Amethyst as she threw her arms out “We’ve been battling the most stubborn nerd in existence!”

  
“And who’s that?” Vidalia asked.

  
“Her name’s Beryl, she happened after Pearl and Peri fused”

  
“A fusion of Pearl and that little green one who latched onto you for months after you found her?” Vidalia inquired.

  
“Yep…”

  
“Wow… I’d always pictured that fusion being as harmless as a math major”

  
“Yep…”

  
“Say, why are Cherry and Blueberry here?” Vidalia whispered to Amethyst.

  
“Beryl forced apart Sugilite and those two can’t make Garnet until whatever it is unfused us wears off” Amethyst whispered back.

  
“Oh I see…” Vidalia said quietly “Say Sapphire, care for some tea?” Vidalia said at normal volume.

  
Sapphire looked up for petting Ruby’s head “Hmm? Oh yes please, what flavour is it?”

  
“Green Tea with Blackcurrant” Vidalia said with a smile.

  
“Do you want any, Ruby?” Sapphire said with a brave face.

  
The sad puppy that was Ruby looked up, her eyes and nose weeping and she weakly shook her head before burying her head back in damp folds of Sapphire’s dress.

  
“She’ll pass, but I’ll gladly take some” Sapphire forcibly smiled.

  
“Ok” said Vidalia as she poured out the tea. She handed it to Sapphire then leaned in and whispered “You know, we won’t judge you if you want to cry to” Vidalia pulled away and gave her a warm smile.

  
Sapphire looked to her dazed for a moment before her lip quivered and single tear came from under her hairline. Ruby shifted a little to look up because she’d felt Sapphire tremble but Sapphire had quickly wiped away her tear and once again put on a brave face for Ruby who felt weak for being the only one crying and quickly hugged Sapphire around the waist tight.

  
“Can I get you anything, dear?” Vidalia said to the curled up Lapis who was sat in the corner next to the sofa.

  
“I er… don’t really drink…” Lapis said nervously.

  
“Oh, my apologies, I thought with the whole water thing…” Vidalia said with a warm smile.

  
“Oh… no… I don’t have organs in this form…” Lapis said slightly bemused.

  
“Huh, didn’t know gems could do that. Well is there anything I can get you?” Vidalia said, trying to make Lapis smile.

  
“No, but thank you” she said with a forced, toothy smile.

  
The group sat in silence, some occasionally sipping tea. Sapphire’s tea eventually went cold, left abandoned because Ruby needed hugs and that mattered more. Feeling awkward, Sour Cream scooted over to Steven and Connie who were on the sofa to try and strike up a conversation.

  
“Say, why did you guys unfuse? Don’t you need to be ready for Beryl?” he asked.

  
“I know but we felt bad being fused when Ruby and Sapphire can’t fuse, you know?” Steven answered.

  
“Plus your Mum’s house has kind of low ceilings so they’d just end up hitting a roof beam with their head” added Connie.

  
“Oh ok. I hope Garnet comes back, those two look sad” said Jenny who’d over heard the conversation and come over.

  
“Shh! don’t make them feel bad, ok? Ruby’s kind of taking it hard” Steven said glumly.

  
“Sorry…” said Jenny embarrassed.

  
Sapphire suddenly looked up from Ruby’s shoulder. Steven, Connie and the Cool Kids all froze, worried she’d overheard them and was upset.

  
“Vidalia, there’s someone at your door” Sapphire said softly.

  
“There is? Why haven’t they knocked…” said Vidalia as she got up to go to the door.

  
“He’s trying but doesn’t want to scratch the paint” Sapphire said ominously.

  
“Oh hello, big fella! What are you doing here?” said Vidalia once at the open door “What you go there, eh?” her question was answered with a muffled growl “Ok then, I won’t touch them. Well come on in, Steven’s here”

  
Lion came sauntering into the lounge followed by Vidalia who went over and sat back in her chair. Lion went over to the only free patch of floor big enough for him which was in front of Ruby and Sapphire’s chair and dumped out his mouthful of things in front of himself. They were Lion Licker bars and he started to tear into one of the half melted ice cream treats.

  
“Urgh, Lion, did you annoy Lion Lickers out of Lars again? You can’t keep doing this! The guy can’t keep giving you Lion Lickers just to get rid of you! He’s going to get fired!” Steven chastised Lion who largely ignored him.

  
“What are we going to do?” Connie asked.

  
“We’ll pay Lars back later for the Lion Lickers that Lion took. Hopefully his boss doesn’t noticed before we get there” Steven sighed.

  
Lion stopped gnawing on his current Lion Licker and looked up at Ruby and Sapphire and he seemed to wonder where Garnet was. Ruby looked up and caught Lion’s gaze but looked away when she found his gaze so empty. He sat up and nestled his head between them and looking up at them expectantly.

  
“Move you dumb animal!” Ruby exclaimed annoyed.

  
“Don’t be like that with Lion, he’s just trying to cheer you up” Sapphire said with a smile.

  
“I don’t need to pet this pink cat to feel happy, I just want to cry and hug you, ok Sapphy?” Ruby grumbled.

  
“He’s just being friendly, Ruby” Sapphire said sorrowfully.

  
“I know that but I don’t feel very friendly so he should take a hint and leave!” said Ruby as she stared Lion in the eyes.

  
Lion frowned at this and pulled his head away and laid on the floor and went back to his Lion Lickers. Ruby huffed and defiantly grabbed Sapphire and placed her firmly in her lap.

  
“See, Lion! I don’t need you, I got Sapphire!” to which Lion grumbled condescendingly “What!? You starting things, are you?”

  
“Ruby, stop, you’re letting your anger consume you” Sapphire said sternly.

  
“I… sorry Sapphire” Ruby sulked.

  
Sapphire shook her head with a half-smile then kissed Ruby on the head to which Ruby blushed. The pair smiled a little before snuggling into the chair and continuing to mope.

  
“Guys.” Amethyst said seriously after a while.

  
“Yeah Amethyst?” said Steven concerned at her tone as everyone in the room looked her way.

  
“What are we going to do about Beryl?”

  
“Punch her stupid head into the ground!” Ruby said viciously.

  
“Ruby.” Sapphire said sternly.

  
Ruby sighed exaggeratedly “I mean… hug her tightly… until she poofs”

  
“I wish that would work, Ruby” Steven said with a half laugh “But Beryl is so strong, how are we going to beat her if Sugilite couldn’t?”

  
“But she has limits. She blacked out from forcing apart Sugilite, what if we got her to do that again but on a fusion that’s a lot more stable than Sugilite” Connie said excitedly.

  
“What are you saying?” Steven said sceptically.

  
“Well you and I could make Stevonnie and once we got Garnet back, there’s another one…”

  
“Connie, get to the point” said Steven annoyed, not wanting to hear the answer he knew was coming.

  
“Well we try to provoke Beryl into trying to unfuse us and because it’ll be two perfect fusions, she won’t be able to do it and black out for long enough to let Pearl and Peridot unfuse…”

  
“What!? You want me and Sapphire to risk never being able to fuse again on a plan based off a hunch? How do you know it’s the stability of the fusion? Maybe Beryl blacked out because of the raw power that is Sugilite!?”

  
“Yes I know, Ruby, it’s a big risk, but Steven and I are risking a lot here to. We might not be able to ever make Stevonnie again and I…”

  
“No! That is not a fair comparison! Me and Sapphire are Garnet! Garnet does not exist unless we’re fused and if we can’t fuse, she doesn’t exist and a part of us dies for good! Stevonnie… they’re not even comparable…”

  
Everyone was silent, unsure how to respond to Ruby’s outburst.

  
“What I think Ruby is trying to say is that while it would be a tragedy to lose Stevonnie, not being Garnet for Ruby and I is like Steven not being always kind hearted or you, Connie not being fiercely determined. Something is missing from us and we can’t go on without it”

  
Ruby giggled “I wasn’t trying to say that at all, but thanks for the save. Sorry, Connie”

  
“It’s ok, Ruby, what I said was insensitive” Connie smiled.

  
“Ruby, are you worried that this being unfused is actually permanent?” Sapphire said after a long pause.

  
“Do you think it’s permanent?” Ruby asked worried.

  
“No… well maybe. It’s not like we needed much encouragement before so I’m wondering why it’s taking so long. We used to fuse all the time by accident back on Homeworld”

  
Ruby laughed “Remember that time we accidently fused and Rose caught us! Oh my goodness, we were so worried! But then then she just runs over and hugs us!” Ruby chuckled.

  
“I’m glad you find it funny! I thought we were done for! I pray that it was Rose who found us and not Yellow Diamond”

  
“I dunno, Yellow Diamond would have just locked us up and not asked so many questions about fusion”

  
Sapphire giggled “Oh leave Rose alone, she was a commanding officer; she had no need to fuse. She was only naïve and curious”

  
The pair began giggling uncontrollably as they reminisced on good times. Everyone watched with bated breath, wondering if it would happen. The pair started glowing and with a flash, there sat Garnet with her legs crossed, softly giggling to herself.

  
Amethyst sat up excited “Welcome back, G! For a minute there, I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to fuse anymore”

  
“I thought you said you didn’t like making Sugilite” Garnet said confused.

  
“Well yeah, but I like making Opal sometimes…” Amethyst blushed.

  
Everyone looked alarmed for a moment before all moving on, choosing not to acknowledge what Amethyst had said to save her embarrassment.

  
“I’m sorry, Garnet if I offended you” Connie said timidly.

  
“Its fine, Connie. You’re plan is sound, it’s just Ruby can be a little hot-headed by herself”

  
“So you want to go along with Connie’s plan then?” Steven asked unsure.

  
Garnet sighed “Beryl needs to be stopped. She’s far too powerful and deranged to lead the Crystal Gems properly and as long as she exists, Pearl and Peridot may be lost forever if Beryl’s personality overwrites theirs. But I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with taking the risk of using your plan, Connie. Ruby was right, we don’t know why Beryl blacked out; if it was just from the effort of pulling apart a fusion or if it was because Sugilite has a lot of raw power that Beryl had to fight against”

  
“But we have to do something” Connie despaired.

  
“I know, Connie. I think the important thing is we don’t act rashly. Beryl has yet to do anything that would justify us attacking her like we have. All she has done is talk and for all we know, that could be all it is. We should only act when she does something we need to stop”

  
“But what if that’s too late?” Amethyst chimed in.

  
“I know we have that risk, Amethyst, but would Rose have us act like this? We need to do as she would and try to reason with Beryl”

  
“I agree with Garnet. We’re the Crystal Gems, we’re the good guys, we shouldn’t be so untrusting” said Steven.

  
“Yeah… let’s go make peace with the nerd” Amethyst smirked sarcastically.

  
Everyone ignored Amethyst. They were uneasy about giving Beryl such leeway but they knew they couldn’t just keep fighting, it was undignified of them. Perhaps Beryl had said what she said to assert her authority or because she knew more than them and knew what had to be done to survive and her aloofness was a mere front so people were more assured in her confidence and would therefore be assured she knew what she was doing.

  
Everyone thanked Vidalia for being such a gracious host and left for the temple to find Beryl and say that for the time being they were going to try and work alongside her. Garnet was still not going to let her lead but she made a promise to herself that she’d be more open to listen to what Beryl had to say.

  
They reached the temple and found Beryl floating above the beach just outside what remained of the house with her legs crossed and her hands clasped in front of her. Her faces were still; etched in an expression of concentration but they also appeared calm, like she was forcibly trying to achieve Zen.

  
“What you doing, nerd?” Amethyst asked in a snarky tone.

  
Beryl didn’t answer and continued to float motionlessly.

  
“Beryl, we want to talk. I want to apologise for my behaviour towards you and…” Garnet began before being cut off by a bright flash of green light.

  
The light dissipated and there stood a giant Laser Light Canon in front of Beryl only pastel green and without the rose-style flourish that was on the end of Rose’s.

  
“Er… Beryl, what is that for?”

  
“Oh this? It’s a modified version of Rose’s Laser Light Canon. I modified it a little to run off Jasper’s gem. This thing could blow up any ship from Homeworld. I’m hoping to make one powerful enough to blow up a planet” Beryl communicated telepathically.

  
Everyone looked to Garnet for advice on how to proceed, not wanting to be the one to break this unspoken truce.

  
“Ok, forget what I said before, lets kick her butt” said Garnet calmly before summoning her gauntlets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I'm back, yo! 
> 
> Yes, the lateness of the chapter is due to the following, in order; sinusitis, mountain of work to catch up on due to being ill from sinusitis, and a little bit of melancholy killing my mood. 
> 
> I'm so sorry though, hope you guys understand :)


End file.
